Crown Molding - How would you handle this situation?

[George Bokros]

My house has a stairway that has two lower sections, one from the foyer and the other from a small hall (for lack of anything else I could think of calling it) that meet at a landing mid way to the second floor. The foyer has crown molding installed along with chair rail. The upper hallway and the high ceiling in the foyer (foyer us two stories) will have the same size crown installed. The section of the stairway that goes to the small hall has a partial ceiling that slopes like it would on a normal stairway. I want to put crown molding in that small lower hall but am not certain on where to end that section.

I see two options - first only on the flat part and end where it rises parallel to the stairs the other is to carry it up and end it where the sloped ceiling ends. Pictures below.

First picture is looking from the second floor toward the front door from the second floor.
Second picture is looking from the second floor toward the stairway that ends with the sloped ceiling.
Third picture is looking from the front door toward the upstairs hall.
Fourth picture is looking from the bottom of the section with the partial sloped ceiling.
Fifth picture is of the foyer looking toward the front door.
Sixth picture is also looking from the bottom of the section with the partial sloped ceiling.

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How would you end that section of crown molding at the end of the flat portion of the ceiling or run it up the slope to where it ends?

Thanks

[peter gagliardi]

Traditionally, you miter and return it to the wall at the junction of angle and flat ceiling.

[Steve Grimes]

Yes, traditional approach is self return before the angle begins. Some examples.
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If you decide to run it up the slope, here are instructions
http://www.garymkatz.com/TrimTechniques/cutting_crown_transitions.html

[Peter Quinn]

You need a different crown to run up the rake angle of the sloped ceiling. You could extrapolate this crown and have it made as a custom molding.....but I wouldn't bother. 1+, die into the wall just before the rake angle with a mitered return. Try taking scraps of your crown and cutting that transition angle, you will quickly realize its not possible with a single crown.

[Peter Quinn]

Yes, traditional approach is self return before the angle begins. Some examples.
256909256910256911

If you decide to run it up the slope, here are instructions
http://www.garymkatz.com/TrimTechniques/cutting_crown_transitions.html

But that is not his condition. He is coming from a horizontal ceiling plane, up a raking angle that turns into a vertical wall, the beam would be at the bottom of the staircase where the sloped ceiling starts its rise and almost certainly interfere with headroom requirements. Very nice way to deal with the reverse condition though.

[Mel Fulks]

This is not what you asked for so Im not going to go into a lot of detail. I just don't think crown is going to improve the look. I would get rid of different finishes on casings in that hall and make a few other changes to what is there now. I would be glad to make couple of suggestions if asked.

[Jerry Miner]

You need a different crown to run up the rake angle of the sloped ceiling.

This is not actually true here. The transition is in a single plane (the wall plane is constant) so it's not like a transition from rake to level at a wall corner, which would require a different profile. It's a simple miter here, so a single profile can make the transition.

It can be done with a single crown profile, but should it be done? I think the cleanest option is a self-return at the transition point, as previously suggested

[George Bokros]

Thanks for your thoughts and opinions. My initial thought was to end it at the ceiling rake angle but I thought that since the rake angle is finished (stomped like the rest of the ceilings it made sense to carry the crown up the rake. I am going to end the crown where the rake angle begins.

As for changing the finishes on the trim or changing the trim in the foyer and hall that is not an option. The entire house is trimmed the same way, stained oak trim with painted doors. When we first bought the house it took some time to adjust to the treatment but it has grown on us an we have accepted it. I would change the doors before I changed the trim.

Again thanks for the input.

[Mel Fulks]

That's good .Going to look best without the rake.